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A Detailed Review of Passages Malibu Luxury Rehab Center (2014)

Overview

Passages is a luxury rehabilitation inpatient clinic located in California.

The treatment focus centers around three main objectives: 1) believe in a cure, 2) discover and heal your inner problems, and 3) embrace a philosophy based on direct experience and universal truths. (Paraphrased).

Location

Located in Malibu, the Passages campus sits on 10 acres showcasing a beautiful view of the Pacific ocean from their cliff-side location.

Features

The grounds are spotless. A full staff of housekeepers dusts, mops, sweeps and cleans every day, eight hours a day.

Nestled in a quiet location. Participants will have ample amounts of silence to reflect and meditate as they see fit.

Clean gym for fitness needs.

On site telephone.

Wi-Fi Internet.

Large flat screen tv and Verizon cable television programing in each room.

Healthy and nourishing meals. Kitchen is open all day for snacking.

Shuttle for (supervised) shopping runs and group activities.

Medical staff that is easily accessible and keeps aware of your personal case, including your interactions with other therapists and staff in the program.

Supervisors that are assigned to individuals to keep track of their scheduling, safety and to answer any questions.

High staff to patient ratio.

Daily maid services.

Those are all fun amenities that you’d expect from an upscale center. But how about the actual treatment process?

Passages does not utilize the AA 12-step program. Instead, they bring to the table many forms of treatment, including some evidence based treatment styles which have been picking up steam in the rehabilitation culture.

The treatment team at Passages includes:

addiction therapists

primary therapist

family therapist

marriage and family therapist

life coaches

hypnotherapists

nutritionists

spiritualists

masseuses

physical trainers

acupuncturists

medical Doctors

certified psychologists

Passages does not just focus on the symptoms of the addiction, but rather focuses on the causes. It takes into account all aspects of a persons life, and opens our awareness as to the real reasons why we are struggling with our addictions. At the same time, while we are in treatment, our bodies are getting properly detoxified, re-nourished, and strengthened as a result of their well rounded program.

Your day is structured from 7:30 a.m. to dinner time, often with sessions after dinner. Most sessions are individual one-on-one with one of several licensed psychotherapists, addiction counselors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, exercise coaches, aftercare planners, and even a spiritual counselor.

Group sessions can be stimulating and philosophical. Those who are serious about their recovery can find motivation from participating in these group sessions.

Praises

Unlike most rehabs, Passages is not a 12-step based program. It rejects the “disease concept” of addiction entirely. Instead, the facility operates under the belief that people abuse drugs and alcohol because of “diverse ailments in the mind and body—a behavioral problem that can be cured by a diverse regimen of individualized therapies. For many people this can be a breath of fresh air from the often claustrophobic feelings that the 12 step AA subculture promotes.

Passages Malibu’s approach is to utilize holistic ways of treating each individual to help them uncover the underlying reasons for why they started using to begin with, as well as opening patients up to the hurts that they have incurred on themselves and others as addicts.

There is a large emphasis on one on one individualized treatment with professional therapists. This separates Passages from many other rehab centers out there. Everything from the therapists, the food, the accommodations, to the view is simply top notch.

Criticisms

Style of rehabilitation education. Some in recovery will wall off to more alternative approaches to rehabilitation (i.e most anything other than A.A.)

Price. Many people can’t afford this treatment center. Paying the cost of admission for Passages is easy for some, yet those who cannot purchase access sometimes find fault in the program.

Patients can feel like they are “on a tight leash” as they are not not free to come and go as they please. The personal assistants that are assigned to a new participant upon arrival (called “client supervisors”) keep continually aware of the activities of participants in the program.

Like any program, you get from it what you put in. Any substance abuse program will work to the degree that the participant is willing to be totally honest and has a genuine desire to quit and let go of the comforts and seduction of drug use.

At passages you have the benefit of support from therapists who closely coordinate with each other and take care of your specific needs and developments each day. You will need help, you will need a safe place to sober up, and you will need to learn new ways of living and dealing with life and Passages is a beautiful place to start on these things of you can afford it, but ultimately it will be up to you to stay clean.

You’re the only one that can get yourself sober, and you will when you are ready.